


Mr. Incredible

by ZipperNova



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M, Protectiveness, World of Ruin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 00:53:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18981853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZipperNova/pseuds/ZipperNova
Summary: Ignis wants to join the Hunters out in the darkness, but Gladio is against it.





	Mr. Incredible

“I wish to join the Hunters.”

 

Gladio lowered his fork and paused in his chewing. He stared at Ignis as his brain stalled at his request. No.  _ No _ . No way in Ifrit's fiery hell. Just the idea of Ignis joining them in that damned darkness, overpowered deamons slashing and gnawing in the endless night, made Gladio's chest grow incredibly tight, and sent his heart hammering.

 

“No.” The muscled man finally responded before going back to his meal. Ignis left his untouched as he kept his head tilted down. He was silent in the wake of Gladio's answer.

 

“Allow me to rephrase, I  **will** be joining the Hunt-”

 

“ **No** .” Gladio cut off. Ignis frowned, raising his head to face his companion's general direction.

 

“And who are you to tell me no?”

 

With a heavy sigh Gladio sat his plate on the coffee table, the living room becoming their dining space since furniture was somewhat hard to come by. Even though the darkness had only settled in for a little over a year. What was the point in having a dining table anyways? They could hold their plates. Or sit on the floor at the coffee table. Didn't bother Gladio any. And if it bother Ignis, he didn't let it show.

 

“Ignis, you don't know what it's like out there.”

 

“What? The sun's gone and it's dark. I'm rather familiar with the concept. More so than you are I would say.”

 

A tired sigh and a shake of the head. Of course Ignis would bring his blindness into this. And wasn't it true that it was the main reason Gladio said no? It had held him back so much. He was probably less than half the man he used to be and it was painfully obvious to Gladio. He refused to cook, couldn't fight, rarely styled his hair, fuck's sake, Gladio could tell he'd not only lost weight from his lack of eating but also muscle. Ignis was lanky as it was but now he looked more like his teen days, before he had started training.

 

“It's not,” The large man struggled to find the right words. “There are deamons Ignis. Strong ones, okay? They're out all the time and they keep getting stronger. We don't know why and it's just gonna keep getting worse.”

 

“Then the solution would be for me to train.”

 

“The  **solution** would be for you to not go out at all.”

 

“Stop telling me not to go!”

 

“You can't Ignis! Okay, you can't! You're not able to fight those things! Hardly anyone is!”

 

“Keeping me here isn't going to help! They need more people out there and I am more than willing to go!”

 

“But you  **can't** Ignis! You're not strong enough, you don't know what you're doing!”

 

“Then help me! Help me understand, teach me Gladio! I trust you t-”

 

“No!”

 

Silence filled the room again as Ignis paused in his arguing.

 

“No?”

 

“No.”

 

“So you just won't? You won't train me?”

 

“I'm not letting you go out there and that's that.”

 

“Why?”

 

Gladio closed his eyes. What was he supposed to say to that? Because he didn't want Ignis to get hurt? Because he didn't think he was strong enough? Didn't think he was capable of learning how to defend himself properly with his handicap?

 

“Because it's… it's just not safe-”

 

“You do not control me Gladio.”

 

“I know Ignis.”

 

“Then stop acting as if you do.”

 

“You were the one who asked.”

 

“I didn't  _ ask  _ if I could join the Hunters, I  _ told  _ you I was joining the Hunters.”

 

“ _ Sounded _ like you asked.”

 

Even as he muttered it under his breath, Gladio knew he shouldn't have. His attitude wouldn't help the situation but sadly, he wasn't very good at controlling it sometimes.

 

“I am an adult  _ Gladiolus _ . If I were to-”

 

“Ooh, the full name.” More of his uncontrolled attitude.

 

“Well if you'd listen to me I wouldn't have to use it.”

 

“Whatever Iggy.”

 

Gladio slouched down in his chair, arms crossing over his chest and gaze moving to stare out the open window nearby. The silence sat heavily in the room. There was clearly more to be said, but Gladio could willingly leave the conversation where it sat. He was firm in his belief that Ignis should never go out and fight. Not in these conditions. Six, probably not in normal conditions either. He had hated watching Ignis stumble around in Fodina Caestino, and even more so in the few battles they encountered between then and now. Granted, he navigated his surrounds excellently now. Give him some time and he could memorize the layout of a new place easily. But fighting? Gladio couldn't stand the thought of Ignis going out in his condition.

 

“Not even if I train? Relearn how to fight.” Ignis asked after a while.

 

Gladio closed his eyes tiredly.

 

“No.” He grumbled.

 

“Not even if you trained me?” Ignis tried.

 

“No.”

 

“Cor?

 

“No.”

 

“Monica?”

 

“Ignis, enough!”

 

“It isn't Gladio!” Ignis had jumped up from his seat now, rage evident on his scarred features. “You think I'm unable! Incapable! That I'll never be able to get back to where I was!”

 

“Fuck's sake Ignis, you can't even style your own hair! Why do you think I'd support the idea of you going out to fight!? You haven't even tried to start cooking again, and you were great at that Iggy! You won't hardly walk into the kitchen but you expect me to  _ train  _ you in  _ combat _ !? You're out of your damn mind!”

 

“I thought you of all people would have supported me in this.”

 

“Ignis,” Gladio groaned, turning away from the other before turning back. “I do support you, you know that.”

 

“Clearly you don't! Gladio, I cannot continue to sit around here all day! I have nothing here! I can't see, I can't read! I can't even imagine what could be out there because I don't know, Gladio! I don't know what's going on anymore! I don't know what you do, I don't know what Prompto does, or Iris! I have nothing here Gladio! Nothing! I don't know when you're going to come home, I don't know  _ if  _ you're going to come home! Do you know what that's like? Lost in a world you no longer know with no one at your side. I…”

 

Gladio stared with his mouth slightly agape. He had never once thought about how Ignis might be feeling throughout everything. All he had cared about was that the blind man was safe, and in their shared apartment, he was. But Ignis was right. There was nothing here for him. The radio only played transmissions from Hunters and Kingsglaive, the last radio station being shut down a few months back. No one had time to man it. And that left Ignis with one less thing. One less distraction that, Gladio now realized, had been keeping his mind from wandering and lingering on all the terrible possibilities that lay outside his prison of a home. Ignis wasn't being protected, he was being driven mad. Slowly but surely.

 

“I can try and find books in braille for you.” The large man said softly, knowing damn well it wasn't what Ignis wanted to hear. Ignis huffed a mock laugh in response.

 

“Thank you.” He said sarcastically.

 

“I don't know what else you want from me, I can't do anything else.”

 

“Gods, yes you can!”

 

“You're not going out there!”

 

“Give me one good reason Gladiolus! One reason that cannot be changed or fixed in some way!”

 

“I can't!”

 

“Why!?”

 

“I can't let you! I just can't!”

 

“Then tell me! Tell me why Gladio-”

 

Gladio grabbed Ignis by the upper arms suddenly, yelling over the end of his sentence.

 

“I can't lose you again!” The loud confession left Gladio feeling almost drained, tired. He hung his head as his hold on the other's arms loosened. “I can't…”

 

Ignis stared unseeingly ahead of himself, his right eye reflexively opening at being startled. He held still in Gladio's grasp, momentarily afraid that the shield had potentially lost his careful control on his temper.

 

Gladio raised his head to look at Ignis. He would later feel bad about the outburst since it noticeably affected Ignis, but for now his heart was racing with his love for the other.

 

“I almost lost you once. I can't do it again.”

 

Ignis's eye seemed to search Gladio's face, almost as if he were trying to see if he were telling the truth.

 

“Gladio…” he reached up to touch the other's cheek. Gladio's corresponding hand quickly followed after and settled atop it, grasping it lightly.

 

“I don't want to lose you.” The large man said softly as he shook his head.

 

“You won't.” Ignis stroked his thumb over the stubble on Gladio's cheek.

 

“I just want you to be safe.”

 

“With you around, how could I not be?” Ignis smiled lightly and Gladio couldn't help but return it, the younger man’s hand feeling the movement from atop his cheek.

 

“I understand your worry,” Ignis started. “I'm worried too. But I must get out and do something. I cannot sit around any longer. I've had my time to grieve, Gladio. Both for my sight and Noctis. I'm ready to move forward.”

 

Gladio looked Ignis over, saw the determination on his face, heard it in his voice. Ignis currently held himself taller than he had since the loss of his vision. It was beautiful, and Gladio would give damn near anything to have Ignis feel confident enough to even just hold his head up again and ignore the boring stares of strangers as they gawked at his healed scars. Anything except let him go out and fight alongside the others. His confidence was not worth his life, no matter how good he looked with it. But he didn't own Ignis. And Ignis was determined. Once his mind was set on something he was going to get it. And Gladio knew he couldn't really hold the man back.

 

“I'll help you…” Gladio said hesitantly. Ignis lifted his head from where he had it resting on the larger man's shoulder. With brows raised he seemed to stare Gladio in the eyes.

 

“Really?” He asked softly.

 

“You're right. You can't stay cooped up in here. It's not good… But we have to take it slow. I need you to prove to me that you can do it.”

 

“Yes.” Ignis nodded. Though he carefully kept his excitement underwraps, the shield could see the telltale signs of a smile.

 

They would work together. Gladio would help Ignis get back to where he once was. Ignis was strong and incredibly capable. All he needed was support and a push, both things that Gladio would sadly admit he hadn't been giving. Yes, he was still against the idea of Ignis fighting, but he knew how the other male was, knew that if he held him back any more than he already had, that he would just go out and get what he wanted on his own. And that worried Gladio more than him going out to fight in general. People could and would take advantage of a blind man. Especially in this world. But if he could help it, Gladio would always be there for the other. He would always protect him, and prevent any accidents happening like last time. He wouldn't lose Ignis. He'd be damn sure of that.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's why Gladio protects Ignis at the end of FFXV. Seriously have you guys seen that? Gladio will run to Ignis and protect him in fights at the end of the game. I plan on diving deeper into all that in another fic but first, this.


End file.
